DWR_4151889

• Title: MAY 1994 SWSI: COLORADO WATER SUPPLY CONDITIONS UPDATE, SURFACE WATER SUPPLY INDEX
• Year: 1994
• Document Type - Publications and Reports: SWSI Monthly Report

GUNNISON BASIN
Basinwide Conditions Assessment:
The SWSI value of 0.1 indicates that for April the GUNNISON RIVER BASIN
Surfau Water Supply Index History
basin water supplies were normal. The Soil Conservation S
Service reports April 30 snowpack at 92%of normal. Storage 4
in Taylor Park, Crawford, and Fruitland reservoirs totaled ,
117% of normal on April 30. The National Weather Service 3 ; .
reports basin precipitation as 152% of normal during April.
Flow at the gaging station Uncompahgre River near Ridgway1..Y ., .
averaged 95.8 cfs as compared to the 1961-1993 April average o
of 109 cfs. C .
-1
Storage is at or near full for small capacity reservoirs a 2
located on the Grand Mesa. Large capacity reservoirs
including Blue Mesa, Ridgway, Paonia, and Taylor Park 3
released waters in anticipation of spring runoff filling.
JANES JAN86 JAN97 JAN99 JAN99 JAN90 JAN91 JAN92 JAN93 JAN94
MONTH/YEAR
Administrative/Management Concerns
Administrative curtailment of junior decrees has
extended to most of the side tributary streams of the
Uncompahgre River. Gunnison Tunnel diversions have
increased to 850 cfs to meet increasing demand in the lower UNCOMPAHGRE RIVER NR. R I DGWAY
FLOW BY WATER YEAR
Uncompahgre valley.
32
30
Public Use Impacts 26
Recreational use of water resources has changed from 26
snowmobiling and skiing to fishing. Only those reservoirs at in 22
highest elevations maintain ice cover. 0,1 ,a
PJ
LL
g 16
12
GG 10
4
2
Oct Nov Dec Jan Fab yrCh April
MONTH
CI WET C1994) O DRY[1977) A AVG X 1194
REPRESENTATIVE RESERVOIRS
GUNNISON RIVER BASIN
70
60—
SO�//
i
un
• 40
h2 30
•
20
10 77/
Taylor Rork Crawford Fruitland
® Av0 4/30 COnt•nt■ N-N 4/30/94 Contanta
6